Once & Again Reunion Special
by Mr Willis of Ohio
Summary: Eleven years later. it's 2013 and the clan has assembled to celebrate the signing of Grace's new book 'The Humble Heart' at the original Booklovers. Everyone has moved on with their lives. Some things have changed since the finale. 'Some forever not for better' as a wise man once said. What will unravel as this story once and again unfolds...
1. Booklovers

**Once & Again Reunion Special**

Eleven years later. it's 2013 and the clan has assembled to celebrate the signing of Grace's new book 'The Humble Heart' at the original Booklovers. Everyone has moved on with their lives. Some things have changed since the finale. 'Some forever not for better' as a wise man once said. What will unravel as this story once and again unfolds...

Start of a new scene/location are bolded to more easily (hopefully) show transitions.  
(B&W stands for Black and White Interviews/asides that any Once & Again fan should instantly recognize. I've added a ~ symbol after each to show where the B&W sequence ends.)

**Series of B&Ws:**  
"Oh my god! I can't believe it's been 11 years!" Lily exclaimed putting her hands on her shaking head. ~

"If you had told me this would all of happened 14 years ago. I would of told you that you're crazy!" Rick chuckled. "Where did the time go?" He looked away ponderously. ~

"I never would've believed it. Me happy. My babies, my Henry, even my job. All of it. I'm really very very grateful" Karen smiled off to the side away from the camera. ~

"I'm really doing pretty good in my life. I'm successfull. I make a good living. I'm even close to my sisters. If you can believe that. But sometimes I still feel..." Grace looked up and around "...do my eyes really look that lonely? Am I making any sense?" She snickered and shook her head before getting up off the stool and walking away. ~

"Time. Yeah, it has a way of sneaking up on you." Judy smirked at the camera before turning her head revealing Sam sitting next to her. ~

"Time, it's a mystery." Zoe smiled. "Like the pyramids or something. I think I'm a little too young to worry about stuff like that." Zoe bounded off screen. ~

"Time? I never think of time. Not really. I mean who has the time? ...Except when it matters." Jake turned revealing Tiffany and Maddie. ~

"I never really paid attention to it. When you're young, you have plenty of it. You know. You don't really miss it, till it's gone." Eli looked seriously straight into the camera. ~

"Sometimes time is moving so fast you can barely keep up. Other times it just sorta stands still." Jessie smiled, looking over to Katie standing nearby.

"Definitely" Katie beamed at her before shyly looking away. "Sometimes, you wish you could get it back." Katie pondered seriously into the camera.

"Yeah." Jessie agreed looking away. ~

**Booklovers:**  
"Booklovers, this is Judy. How may I help you?" Judy answered while jotting down a customer's order for the store's weekly list.

"Hi Judy, it's Grace"

"Hey you" Judy smiled into the receiver.

"I'm just calling to make sure that everything's ready for next weekend." Grace still fretted about any public appearance.

"All stocked and ready to be signed and sold, or stolen." Judy smirked at her own joke. "So, how are you?"

"Like I wanna just stay home and read, but I'll get over it." Grace chuckled at her self-consciousness.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be great, sweetie." Judy tried to assure her niece.

"Thanks. Well I'll let you get back to...whatever."

"See you soon, bye." Judy went back to her order list.

**Once & Again micro theme...**

**Manning Manor kitchen Saturday morning:**  
Jessie entered through the kitchen door. Seeing no one around, she put her bag down on the counter. Memories of school day mornings, arguing with her step-sister, and rushing to get ready before riding with Grace as she raced for school.

"Good to be home" she smiled to herself. Her revelry was broken as Lily walked into the kitchen and gave her a hug.

"Didn't hear you come in. Thought you were coming this afternoon?"

"Yeah, I got going sooner than expected" Jessie took a moment to assess her step-mother. Early fifties and still rather attractive. She was certain that Lily was one of those people who would always look ten years their junior. She really envied that about her. Which was odd since Grace seemed to always be ten years older than her real age, at least mentally.

Jessie shrugged off her momentary analysis to take her bag up to her old room. Aside from an errant box here and there, it was largely as she left it all those years ago. Lily and Rick had kept the kids' rooms largely intact, if only to entice their offspring to visit year after year. Too many memories threatened to come crashing back, but before she could have a chance to try to keep them at bay, she heard footsteps coming up the steps.

"There you are!" Jessie heard as she was tackled to her old bed.

"Hi Zoe" Jessie giggled as her step-sister got up. Zoe still had the energy of a ten year old on a sugar rush.

"So what brings you here so early?" Zoe inquired.

"Just couldn't wait to see what my favorite hobbit was up to." Jessie grinned.

"Oh, you're so dead" Zoe chased her down the stairs.

Lily just smiled and shook her head. Some things never seemed to change.

**Downtown Chicago:**  
"So are you going?" Janet looked over at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, I'm going." Eli answered while tying his boot.

"Is your father gonna be there?" The tall brunette pondered while putting her earrings on.

"I think he's still in Atlanta."

"Well that should be a relief, huh?" she said into the mirror.

"Not really."He sighed.

"Awww, are you still worried about what your father thinks? I told you he'll come around sooner or later." Janet hugged her longime boyfriend.

"Later, I'm guessing." Eli joked. "Well I better be going. Wish me luck."

"Luck" She wished for him as he walked out of their apartment door.

**Later in Evanston:**  
"Hi, anyone home?" Eli peeked into the house where he grew up.

**B&W:**  
"My baby!" Karen smiled into the camera. ~

"There you are." Karen wrapped her arms around her eldest giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"How's Janet?" Karen asked after they separated.

"She's good, she sends her love." He smiled.

**B&W:**  
"When my mom met my girlfriend. They just bonded right away. Which like never happens. Later that evening we were saying our goodnights. Mom hugged her and said that she was welcome anytime. Almost immediately mom just accepted her like one of her own. That's when I knew Janet was something special." Eli looked right into the camera. ~

"You have to bring her round sometime."

"Ok, I will" he acquiesced. "There anything to eat?"

"Of course, I think that there's some of Henry's famous pasta salad in the fridge" she chuckled while leading the way. Some things never seemed to change.

**A little later in the Manning Manor kitchen:**  
Lily's preparing lunch. In walk Jessie and Zoe.

"So what are you girls doing today?" Lily asked while cutting up veggies.

"We thought that maybe we'd go get dinner while you're at the station". Zoe answered for them.

"Yeah, Zoe told me bout this new place in town, La Faves. I guess we're going there."

"Their tiramisu cheesecake is to die for!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Well you girls have fun and bring me back something" Lily winked.

**Atlanta's Moon Rise Project:**  
Sam was following Rick around the finally finished job while dodging random buckets of various cleaning materials left wherever the laborers were when the evening whistle blew.

"Did Lily say anything?" Sam started in.

"Bout what, Sam?" Rick knew where this was going.

"About the Renaissance, the Holy Roman Empire, the New Deal." Sam just smiled while Rick merely eyeballed his old friend. So he continued. "The deadline."

"She didn't say anything." Rick threw his friend a menacing glare.

"Not a peep, really?" Sam seemed to ponder.

"Really." Rick stated. "Why, did Judy say something?"

"No, no nothing." Sam countered.

"Really?" Rick challenged

"Really" Sam defended himself. "We just have that kind of relationship and she knows that sometimes these things just take a little longer than what was originally planned."

"If you say so." Rick agreed unbelievingly.

"She does." Sam reasserted. "And what did Lily say, again?" Sam smirked.

Rick just turned and glared.

**Later that evening at La Faves:**  
Zoe and Jessie were seated for dinner.

"So how are you liking the new job?" Jessie asked while opening her menu.

"Kind of overwhelming. I mean I really love what I'm doing, but there's just so much to do right now."

"Well that's what you get for deciding to be a social worker" Jessie chided.

"I know, I know" Zoe sighed.

"I'm sure it'll get easier." Jessie patted her step-sister's arm. "You always were so concerned about things. Whether it be the environment or some other cause. So I kind of always figured that you'd end up doing something that involved helping people. What about Lily?"

"I think that she's finally coming round to the idea." Zoe smiled.

"That's good." Jessie took a sip of her water.

After ordering Jessie wandered over to the salad bar. After putting a few random veggies on her plate, she felt a hand on her arm. "Jess?!"

Turning to see who had touched her. "Katie?!" Jessie couldn't quite believe her eyes. "Oh my god! How are you?" Jessie floundered for something to say.

"I'm good. How are you? Last I heard you were in college studying to be a teacher or something? How'd that go. Did you do it or did you change your major or just drop out and become a famous singer?" Katie blushed while looking away.

Jessie had forgotten how much she loved a good Katie babble. "I did. I'm a professor of American History at Northwestern. What about you?"

"I'm a chef at a restaurant here in Chicago. So what are you doing in town? Are you on a date? I'm not interrupting your date? I'm interrupting your date. Aren't I? I'll let you get back to your..."

"You're not interrupting anything, I'm here with my step-sister." Jessie laughed at her ex-girlfriend's ability to ramble.

"Oh ok, good." Katie beamed. "I'm here with some friends." Katie pointed to a corner booth.

Jessie just nodded.

"So, have you been to this restaurant before?" Katie inquired.

"No, Zoe just recommended it. Have you?" Jessie wanted to know for some reason.

"Um my friend Marcie heard that they had good cheesecake. So, we came to investigate." Katie joked.

"Yeah, that's what I've heard." Jessie laughed.

"You should totally check out Rendezvous sometime. That's where I work. I could get you a discount. Not that you need one. Just that I could. I mean if you wanted to. You don't have to. Just thought that I'd mention it." Katie looked away again.

"Uh ok, sure I'd love to." Jessie blushed.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your dinner." Katie touched Jessie's arm before heading back to her friends.

"Yeah, you too". Jessie watched Katie walk away before returning to her table.

Jessie sat down and a puzzled Zoe looked over at her dazed step-sister. "Was that Katie?"

"Yeah, yeah it was" Jessie confirmed while munching on a celery stick.

"Are you ok?" Zoe asked between bites of zucchini

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Jessie shrugged it off. But the blonde couldn't quiet her own mind...  
_


	2. Memories

**Back at Manning Manor:**  
"Hey, girls" Lily greeted Jessie and Zoe as they returned from their culinary expedition.

"Hey Mom, you'll never guess who was there!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Who?" Lily inquired.

Jessie elbowed Zoe before she could answer. Lily looked at the duo inquisitively.

"No one, just someone I went to school with." Jessie recovered. "I'm kind of tired. I'm going to go lay down." Jessie left the room before anyone could question her further.

'What was that about?" Lily wonderd while concerned eyes followed her step daughter up the stairs.

"I have no idea." Zoe shrugged.

"So, when's your sister making an appearance?" Lily changed the subject.

"She said her flight's coming in around 5:30 Monday afternoon."

"Be nice to have both my girls back under the same roof again" Lily contemplated.

"I guess." Zoe went to find something on TV. Some things never seemed to change.

**House of Blue:**  
"Hello" Judy answered while clicking pause on the dvd remote.

"Hey Judy" Sam eased down onto the hotel mattress.

**B&W:**  
For the longest time it felt like Sam and I were like incompatible chemicals. Alone we were...ok, but together." Judy mimicked an explosive sound. ~

"You just getting in?" She inquired.

"Yeah, another evening of take out at the Hotel DeChevrolez" Sam half joked.

"Oh yeah, sounds nutritious." Judy smirked.

"Ha ha" Sam paused. "I miss you!" He sighed seriously.

"I miss you too!" Judy frowned.

"This is nuts, I'm just gonna fly back there tomorrow."

"No, you can't. You'll be home soon enough. It's only three days. I can wait three days." The youngest Brooks sister consoled her husband.

"Well I can't!" her husband countered.

**B&W:**  
"And then." Judy smiled off into the distance. ~

"Well I'm afraid you'll just have to wait a few more days, Mister." Judy teased.

"I might just have to stay with Rick when I get back." Sam retorted.

"Ah, you better not!" She gasped.

"Ok. Well until then I guess it's goodnight, Judy Blue eyes."

"Good night, Sam." Judy smiled putting down the receiver.

**April 2004 Manning Manor:**  
Most of the the Sammler and Manning clan were in the kitchen scooping their late evening snack. Jessie, expecting the call, grabbed the ringing phone and walked into the living room to talk to her girlfriend.

"Hey Katie" she smiled.

"Hey Jess" Katie softly replied.

Jessie immediately picked up on her girlfriend's mood. "What's wrong Katie?"

"Um, I don't know. I was just missing you. I guess" Katie sighed.

"I miss you too". Jessie sat down.

After a long awkward pause. Which was happening a lot of late. Too much time and distance was draining the excitement from their once exhilerating relationship. They were both so very tired and neither wanted to admit it, but neither could they deny it any longer.

"Well, I guess New York is pretty far away." Jessie started.

"Yes, it is". Katie agreed. "Maybe too far" Katie shed a tear.

"Maybe" Jess agreed. Both fear and relief washing over her. "You ever think that maybe it's just too far?"

"Sometimes" Katie's heart sank as the truth sunk in.

"Maybe we should just...you know...until we're closer again?" Jessie stammered.

"Maybe" Katie agreed. "But maybe when we're closer again"? Katie added. She just had to leave it open.

"Maybe" Jessie agreed.

"Until then" Katie bit her lip.

"Until then" Jess closed her eyes.

Jessie hung up the phone by the couch. She took a deep breath and steeled herself before going back into the kitchen.

"Ice cream, Jessie?" Lily offered.

"Yes" Jessie put on a fake smile and grabbed a bowl.

Jessie's head jerked up. Startled awake from her memories. She hadn't dreamt of that evening for many years. She wiped the tears from her eyes. Looking over she noticed the time: 12:30 AM. "Ugh!" she sighed and put her head back down and went to bed. She hoped that the morning would bring happier dreams.

**Elsewhere in Manning Manor:**  
"Did Jessie get in OK?" Rick asked from his hotel room many miles away.

"She got in this morning". Lily spoke into the cordless.

"Morning?" The surprise showing in his voice.

"Yes, she was a little early."

"So, how is she?"

"She's fine, Rick." Lily assured.

"Good." He smiled.

"It's just." Lily started, but stopped short.

"It's just what, Lil?" Rick wondered.

"She thought you'd be here" Lily pressed.

"Lil, I told you we were a little behind. The project's done, we're just finishing up all the little details. I'll be home in a few days."

"Ok, ok" She rolled her eyes giving in. "Well it's late and I'm going to turn in. Night."

"Night, Lil" Rick put his cell phone down looked around his hotel room and sighed.

**Sunday afternoon Manning Manor:**  
"No way, get out!" the short haired redhead giggled as Zoe whispered something else in her ear.

Both girls giggled loudly. Lily rolled her eyes as she turned round to see the two twentysomethings entering from the kitchen.

"Hey girls." Lily waved while flipping the newspaper over.

"Oh hi Lily" the girl warmly greeted her friend's mother.

"So what do you have planned for this evening?" Lily inquired.

"Oh nothing. Probably just watch some movies and munch on junk food." Zoe teased.

"Well try not to overexert yourseves." Lily retorted.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll manage." Zoe's friend giggled.

Just then Jessie made her way down the stairs."Oh hi, I didn't know you had company." The blonde said upon reaching the living room.

"Hey Jessie, this is my friend Veronica." Zoe introduced her friend to her sister.

"Hi" Jessie greeted the unfamiliar pale girl in front of her.

"Hey!" Veronica waved.

"Well if you need us we'll be in my room." Zoe said as they went on their merry way upstairs.

"She seems nice." Jessie stated.

"So what about you, anything planned for this evening?"

"Think I'm just gonna go visit with my mom for a while, OK?"

"Of course, have fun. Tell your mom I said 'hi'." Lily assured her step-daughter.

"Thanks". Jessie smiled before excusing herself.

**Sammler Residence:**  
Karen looked intense. Her eyes darting back and forth between the board and the others around the table.

"It's OK to go ahead and admit defeat. Just say that I'm the Scrabble Master and this will all be over." Henry joked.

She looked up steely eyed taking up the challenge. After looking at the board in despair, something caught her eye. Picking up all her final pieces. She proceeded to lay them out for her victorious triple word score.

"Wait - what the hey?!" Henry couldn't quite believe his eyes.

Karen merely smiled defiantly.

"Way to go, mom!" Eli cheered.

Just then the front door opened and in walked the youngest Sammler.

**B&W:**  
"My baby girl!" Karen stares in awe at the camera. ~

"Hey Mom, Henry, Eli" Jessie greeted everyone as Eli hugged his little sister. "What I miss?"

"Mom just schooled Henry on the finer points of Scrabble."

"Hey, I was bamboozled" Henry half joked.

"Oh shush" Karen teased.

Jessie just laughed and smiled.

**B&W:**  
"My mom was so lonely after my dad left. For the longest time she'd just concentrate on work. Even when she was seeing someone, she always just looked so...sad. Sometimes she would get so depressed. I really worried about her." Jessie looked off to her left. "Then she met Henry and somehow she just seemed to come alive again." Jessie smiled. ~

"You staying for dinner?" Henry inquired.

"Absolutely!" Jessie smiled.

"Good. I got something special lined up for you." He beamed.

"What?" Jessie looked puzzled.

"I'm not saying, you'll just have to be patient and wait to be amazed." Henry boasted, but everyone knew that he would come through with some sort of culinary masterpiece.

"Yum, I can't wait." Eli salivated.

They all chuckled at that.

**Somewhere in Chicago:**  
Easing down onto the fancy leather couch, Miss Singer took a sip of her mocha latte before setting it down on the glass coffee table.

"Been meaning to ask. Who was that blonde at the restaurant yesterday?" Marcie inquired sipping her frappuccino.

"Oh just some girl I used to know." Katie lied nonchalanlty hoping to dissuade her friend from persuing this line of questioning further.

"Oh?!" Marcie wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, why?" Katie pretended not to care.

"She just seemed to throw you off your game, is all"

"What game? I'm not a player like some people we know." Kaite raised an eyebrow.

"Leave my sister out of this, please Singer."

"Who moi? I meant no such thing?" Katie beamed figuring that that would end that conversation for sure.

"Who is she? Is she single?" Marcie got out before gulping the last of her beverage.

"Her name's Jessie and I can assure you that she's so not your type." Katie shook her head.

"Too bad. She's cute." Marcie lamented while getting up to put her empty cup in the sink.

"I know" Katie whispered to herself.

**B&W (Katie's first solo):**  
"Is this thing on?" Katie fidgeted with the camera before sitting back down. "I never loved anyone before Jessie. I know that everyone thinks I loved Sarah or Joanna, or whatever, but I didn't. I never felt anything like that before...or since. I'm gonna miss her forever. Aren't I?" Katie looked down. ~

**Sammler Residence:**  
Jessie plopped down on her old bed. Her belly full and eyes weary.

"Who would've thought to add peanut butter to chili?" Jessie pondered as she relished in Henry's latest culinary wonder otherwise known as Southwestern Black Bean Tofu Chili.

Jessie smiled while laying her head down on her childhood pillow. Images of tooth faries' quarter treasures, sleepovers, and childhood dreams filled her head before giving way to more serious memories. Soon they were replaced with images of skipping school, a tall lanky blonde in a tank top, and laying in bed while talking of a future never to be clouded her revelry. The blonde's eyes shot open as she sat up and hung her head.

**B&W:**  
"I never felt anything for anyone before I met Katie. I was actually beginning to think that I was some kinda freak. You know? But then there she was. Like a bright new star or a rising sun and all of a sudden everything was so alive in me." Jessie smiled into the camera. "Then she was gone again. And now I'm wondering if I'll ever feel like that again?" Jessie looked down. ~

Jessie looked up at the sound of her brother barging into her old room.

"What?" Was all she got out as Eli grabbed her head in a wrestler hold.

"Come on squirt. We're gonna get some ice cream and play Pictionary."

Jessie just squealed as he pulled her along downstairs. Some things never seemed to change.  
_


End file.
